Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report children's home: SC421063 1 SC421063 Registered provider: Keys Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a group of homes that make up the Cross Regional Project, which has been set up between Keys Group and four local authorities: Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. The home cares for up to four children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 15 September 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 28 and 29 September 2021

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC421063 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/07/2018 Full Good 13/09/2017 Full Good 17/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC421063 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience a warm and nurturing environment from a stable staff team who provide them with a sense of security. The high levels of encouragement the children receive enable them to make positive changes and improvements in their lives. Small gestures, such as each child having their own personal dining chair painted in their individual colour of choice, affirm to children that they are valued and cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build secure positive relationships with the staff who look after them. They benefit from receiving individualised care. Committed staff provide the children with a secure base from which they can safely explore their feelings. As a result, the children begin to make sense of their experiences with adults who they are comfortable with and who know them well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s voices are heard and their views are highly respected. Children speak confidently about their wishes and needs. Children know how to complain. This encourages a sense of trust and positive relationships between children and staff. As a result, children feel valued and listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the value of education and learning. All children are enrolled in full- time education and staff provide whatever support is necessary to help them to make progress. Staff liaise closely with education professionals to encourage the best outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Day-to-day practice during the COVID-19 pandemic was regularly reviewed to ensure that staff were working in line with government guidance. Clear planning by the managers and staff ensured children’s care was not disrupted during the various COVID-19 restrictions.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding practice is good. Staff have a clear understanding of reporting processes and where their role sits within wider safeguarding networks. Consequently, these actions help to keep the children safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have a good understanding of the risks faced by children in their care. Risk assessments are regularly updated and reviewed by all staff. Decisions about children moving into and out of the home are carefully considered. This preparation ensures the needs of all children involved are carefully thought through.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff know how to respond to children’s behaviours. There is clear and consistent communication between children and staff. There have been no episodes of children going missing during this inspection period. The number of safeguarding incidents is Inspection report children's home: SC421063 4 very low. Children are therefore kept safe by a staff team who have built good relationships with them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The previous requirement to ensure children have access to medical services and treatment has been met. Since the previous visit, children’s health needs have been met to a high standard. The manager has made exceptional links with health professionals in supporting children’s ongoing health needs. An example of this is the introduction of the looked after children’s nurse, who visits the children on a monthly basis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a highly effective registered manager in post, who is ably supported by an experienced deputy manager. The leadership team has the highest expectations for the children. This sets an aspirational culture in which the staff strive for excellence in their practice. Staff report that they are well led by a manager who is approachable, passionate, honest and supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are excellent systems in place which ensure detailed and clear records are kept about the children’s experiences. Managers have been successful in completing the tasks from the last inspection. They are eager to continuously improve their practice so that children flourish and continue to make progress. To this end, there are ongoing development plans in place that are regularly reviewed to ensure continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel supported by regular formal supervision and supportive relationships within the team. All mandatory training has been completed by the staff team. Staff consistently attend external bespoke training to support the needs of the children in their care. An example of this was two members of staff recently completing a level 2 course in autism spectrum disorder. Staff morale is high, leading to a positive and relaxed feel within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff’s focus on developing trusting relationships with the children is extended to professionals and families. Positive partnership working helps to build trust and engagement. One family member said, ‘It’s the first time I’ve not had to worry about him in care as I know he is safe. The staff are brilliant - five star.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Some significant incidents are not reviewed on time as specified in the organisation’s quality of care monitoring system. Delays in oversight has the potential for poor practice to be left unchecked.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A previous recommendation for the manager to decide on what to include in the quality of care review has been met. The report received was robust and detailed, covering areas identified from the last inspection. Inspection report children's home: SC421063 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 15 November

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children's home: SC421063 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/o Pinsent Masons LLP, The Soloist Building, 1 Lanyon Place, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT1 3LP

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Inspector

Skye Frain, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC421063 7 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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